Red Bull, Cabka Collaborate with BigBag S5 Pallet

• With the Cabka BigBag S5 pallet, Red Bull creates an efficient closed-loop system between its facilities in Europe and the USA.
• Red Bull underscores its commitment to sustainability by adopting this circular economy approach. It utilizes a new reusable pallet solution made from 100% recycled plastics.
• The innovative BigBag S5 pallet marks a revolutionary step in optimizing efficiency and sustainability within Red Bull’s supply chain, leading to a noteworthy 20% reduction in container transports.

Another leading brand is turning to reusable packaging systems for its ingredient supply chain. It is also another example of how optimizing the cube utilization of ocean transport can create a highly successful intercontinental reusable packaging program.

Red Bull, the highly recognizable energy drink manufacturer, is partnering with Cabka, the market leader in reusable transport packaging made from recycled plastic, to enhance the sustainability of its valuable ingredient transportation. The introduction of Cabka’s specially designed BigBag S5 pallet marks a significant step towards optimizing efficiency and eco-friendliness throughout Red Bull’s supply chain.

BigBag S5 Pallet features unique design

The key feature of the BigBag S5 pallet is its unique design, catering specifically to the transportation of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs), commonly known as Big Bags. The crucial improvement is that FIBCs can be stacked on each other without risking any damage to the FIBCs’ fabric. Hence, this innovation enables Red Bull to significantly reduce the volume of freight required for sea transport. By utilizing the unique dimensions of the BigBag S5 pallet and its accompanying Big Bags, Red Bull can optimize the use of space within a standard 20-foot ISO container. As a result, a remarkable 20% reduction in container transport can be achieved, representing a clear sustainability win.

According to Cabka, Red Bull previously utilized one-way wooden pallets and 40-foot maritime containers for transporting its energy drink ingredients to the US market, leading to limited payload capacity. With the adoption of Cabka’s sustainable pallet solution and the transition to 20-foot iso containers, Red Bull can now achieve both cost efficiency and sustainability goals.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Red Bull will implement the BigBag S5 pallet as a reusable solution, establishing an efficient closed-loop system between Red Bull’s facilities in Austria and the USA. This approach minimizes waste and environmental impact. The S5 can be stacked 21 units high when empty on a 40′ HC container, or 462 pallets per load.

At the end of its lifecycle, Cabka can recycle the BigBag S5 pallet, further contributing to a more circular economy.

Cabka’s expertise in recycled plastics processing is concentrated at its Innovation Center in Valencia, Spain, where the company integrates product design, materials engineering, and testing capabilities. Cabka’s team works closely with its customers to develop and refine innovative solutions that meet the specific needs of its partners, such as Red Bull.

Cabka states that the BigBag S5 pallet, measuring 1150 x 950 x 150 mm, sets a new standard in strength and durability. It offers enhanced handling and protection for big bags during transportation, ensuring the integrity of their valuable contents. The design features include exceptional stability for double stacking, protection against damage during pallet handling, compatibility with roller conveyors, four-way entry, and a deck design that centers the Big Bag load, enhancing stability during transport. Moreover, the pallet is reusable, made from recycled plastic, and 100% recyclable.

The Red Bull and Cabka collaboration illustrates how freight costs and associated environmental impacts can be eliminated by thoughtfully designing a reusable pallet system that achieves superior cube utilization and damage reduction while utilizing 100% recycled plastic material.

Related Articles

Rick LeBlanc

Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.